[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1346]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         TRIBUTE TO JACK GIBSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARION BERRY

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 16, 2000

  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a man who is a dear 
friend of mine, Jack Gibson, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
  Jack Gibson has served the state of Arkansas and his country all of 
his life. After completing his secondary education in Louisiana, he 
became a naval aviator and flew in the carrier task force during World 
War II. After the war, he returned to the United States and finished 
college at Mississippi State University. He entered business with his 
father where they operated a farm, cotton gin, and an agricultural 
spraying business.
  Through his years in Arkansas, Jack has been active in state, civic 
and community life and has always worked to represent agriculture, the 
greatest profession there ever was. He is a former director of Chicot 
County Soil Conservation District and served as the president of the 
Southeast Arkansas Soil Conservation District. He was also chairman and 
the original member of the Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation 
Commission. He served as president and member of the Agricultural 
Council of Arkansas and president of the Arkansas Conservation 
Districts. Jack also served as president and CEO of two community banks 
in Southeast Arkansas and has been a member of the Farm Bureau since 
1948.
  As State Senator from District 35 for 12 years, Jack held 
chairmanships on the Agriculture and Economic Development Committees, 
and the Legislative Audit. During his tenure in the Arkansas 
legislature, he was also a member of the Legislative Joint Budget, 
Legislative Council, and Revenue and Taxation Committees. He has been 
affiliated with the Farm Credit System for 39 years and served on both 
the PCA and FBL boards, as well as the Sixth District Advisory Board. 
Jack is currently the executive director of the Arkansas Livestock and 
Poultry Commission.
  Jack Gibson resides in Boydell, Arkansas, the town where he was born. 
He has devoted his life to agriculture and Arkansas and the world is a 
better place because of his service. I am proud to call him my friend 
and I wish him a happy 80th birthday and many more years of happiness.

                          ____________________